Friday, February 15, 2008

Food Czar Revisit #1: The Bear, The County Line & The Solid Gold Cadillac

The Solid Gold Cadillac was a smash sensation play of 1955 later made into a delightful 1956 movie starring Judy Holliday, the quintessential dumb blonde of Born Yesterday fame. This dramatic vehicle has absolutely nothing to do with the first Food Czar Revisit Review in history, except that I was treated like such a VIP on that visit that I felt like I was driving said Caddy Del Oro. Specifically, Bear Kirby, the ever-vigilant manager of the County Line BBQ Harbor Point in Garland, Texas had found my original review of a month or so ago, noticed there were some service issues that required his immediate attention, corrected them, and then sent me a VIP invitation to reassess the place on his dime, so to speak. Truly a Man of Action! Needless to say, I was quite flattered and impressed by his offer, and after a flurry of email exchanges, my lovely wife the Rock Star and I received our Backstage Pass, and planned a surprise visit one recent Saturday Evening.

The County Line Harbor Point, as I said in my previous post, is located hard by the shores of peaceful Lake Ray Hubbard, and you would be quite remiss, indeed, if you passed up a chance to sit on the lovely patio, especially at gloaming (dusk). Views of swimming ducks, buoys, and boats abound. (Directions and other pertinent info to this and all other County Lines are easily obtainable at www.countyline.com.) My bride and I were led to a nice spot; unfortunately, a loud party was in progress nearby, and we had to strain to hear ourselves think. No problem, said our ever-amiable server Seth, and relocated us away from the action. We started with specialty margaritas, ice-cold and well-made. Then, an oversize platter of meats and veggies was brought in due course, after we had enjoyed the sights and sounds of the children running on the patio and squealing after the ducks. (The County Line is family-friendly and proud of it, pardner.) The beef ribs were once again a standout for me, and my spouse really enjoyed her sausage and brisket, feeling that both were better than on the previous visit. (All meats at The County Line are smoked over wood like all true Texas BBQ. I think that says it all for the quality here.) Sides were excellent as before, particularly the tasty potato salad and the almost sinfully-rich, cakelike bread. Finally, we turned our attention to dessert and, surprise, surprise, the proferred vanilla bean ice cream turned out to be the highlight of the evening, rich and creamy whereas vanilla bean is often tart and unsatisfying. Moral: Do Not Miss Dessert Here!

Throughout our lovely stay, Randy "Bear" Kirby worked the room like a nightclub comedian in the Catskills, putting out fires rather than telling one-liners. Finally we met and I was very impressed. Here is a man who cares deeply about his job and his customers and will do whatever it takes to make them feel at ease and at home. He could not stay long, as there were other pressing concerns, but it was long enough to convince my wife and myself that we must return soon. Test drive your own Cadillac soon, and remember:

About Me

Food Czar has communications and drama degrees and has been a newspaper columnist, stockbroker, actor, college instructor, customer service pro and federal employee in his rather interesting life. He may be the only restaurant reviewer in America who has had gastric bypass. Texan born and bred, he would like to thank God, his family, his cats, James Little & the Texas Burger Guy for inspiration, his longtime friend The Rock for always being there, and most especially, his lovely wife the Rock Star for all things wise and wonderful. Food Czar can be reached at www.foodczar@gmail.com.